Introducing UFH’s first cohort of graduates in new Business Management PhD Qualification

Among the graduates conferred doctoral degrees during the University of Fort Hare 2023 May Graduation was the first cohort of the Business Management Doctoral Degree.

The qualification offered by the Department of Business Management under the Faculty of Management and Commerce, received a nod in October 2018 from the South African Qualifications Authority in accordance with the National Qualification Framework.

The three graduates are Doctor Justice Ngonidzashe Muchineripi supervised by Professor Willie Chinyamurindi; Doctor Ziyanda Mzamo supervised by Professor Olabanji Oni and; Doctor Sakhumzi Stamper, also supervised by Professor Chinyamurindi.

According to the head of the Department Dr Juliet Townes, the qualification was necessitated by post-graduate students’ need for further vertical articulation following the completion of their Masters degree.

“The department, by its size, did not have a PhD programme. This necessitated us to propose an NQF level 10 qualification. This is a direct response to the regional needs in the development of knowledge and ensuring that high-level academic research takes place in the field of business management, enabling individual and institutional capacities,” she explained.

The research-based qualification is carried out over a minimum of four years with the candidate's thesis examined by three academics selected by supervisors and approved by internal structures, and the highest decision-making body in academic matters being Senate.

For his thesis titled: “An intellectual capital structural model in ICT-based small businesses: the role of organisational capabilities on business performance” Dr Stamper focused at testing an intellectual capital-structural model and ascertaining the role of human and organisational capabilities on business performance in ICT-based small businesses in South Africa. The study used a quantitative approach, and it was conducted using the views of 261 owners/ managers of ICT-small businesses operating in South Africa.

Dr Muchineripi’s study titled: “A Structural Equation Model on Small Business Performance: The Mediating role of Effectuation & Entrepreneur Identity,” investigates the mediating role of effectuation on entrepreneurial identity and performance among small businesses in South Africa. Three hundred and eighty questionnaires were distributed to Small Medium and Micro Enterprises through structured questionnaires for testing the hypotheses on the mediating role of effectuation on entrepreneurial and performance among small business. The candidate has published 2 papers in accredited journals from previous work and is currently working on publishing 2 articles from the current study.

Dr Mzamo looked at formulating a model to link innovation and the sustainable business growth of immigrant entrepreneurs. Also, to investigate if there was sufficient relationship between innovation and sustainable business growth of immigrant entrepreneurs within the Johannesburg metro. A mixed approach was used to achieve the objectives. Mzamo’s study is titled, “A model for linking innovation and sustainable business growth of immigrant entrepreneurs in Johannesburg metropolitan area.”

Dr Townes said this qualification is the pinnacle of university studies. “Being an NQF level 10 qualification, there is no higher level of qualification. These students are now eligible to become academics and employees of this or any other university.”

Congratulations to the Faculty and the graduates.